26 SEPTEMBER 1947, Page 16

LORD RIDDELL AND THE 44 CHURCH TIMES" SIR, —Janus may well,

in your issue of September 12th, express his surprise at a statement in Lord Camrose's book on newspaper controllers that Lord Riddell had an interest in the Church Times. As I am temporarily absent from England I have been unable to obtain a copy of the book, but nevertheless I may also be allowed, perhaps, to express my surprise in your columns, since the Church Times was founded by my grand- father in 1862. Until last April, when I reconstituted the board and admitted two directors who were not members of my family, the pro- prietoriar interest has been held at various times by my grandfather, my father, my mother, two uncles and myself, but by no one else. This perhaps may be a record of family proprietorship of an independent

Switzerland.

(Managing Director, Church Times.)